1. Quadriceps strengthening exercises (a) Active quadriceps exercises
Quadriceps strengthening exercises (a) Active quadriceps exercises. Initially inner-range quadriceps strengthening is performed with a rolled towel under the knee as shown. The range is slowly increased, depending on symptoms, until through-range quadriceps contraction can be performed without pain (b) Resisted quadriceps. Concentric and eccentric exercises are performed against gradually increased resistance. Knee extension involves concentric contraction of the quadriceps muscle, while lowering the foot from extension involves eccentric quadriceps contraction (c) (i) and (ii) Reverse Nordics. Similar to the hamstring Nordic curl exercise but in the opposite direction. Subject/athlete starts in a kneeling upright position (i). The subject/athlete goes as far as they can (ii) until feeling a stretch in anterior thigh or until they cannot maintain neutral trunk position. Focus is placed on the knee being the pivot point while maintaining neutral trunk position throughout exercise (i.e. not breaking at the hips or increasing lumbar lordosis). Exercise can be performed either with ankles in full plantar flexion or on toes. Progressions include arms outstretched with hand weights or arms over head with a medicine ball (d) Functional exercises. A variety of functional exercises can be performed in the late stage of rehabilitation: squats, wall squats, stepdowns (shown), shuttle. Most of these involve both eccentric and concentric contraction of the quadriceps
Source: Anterior thigh pain, Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sports Medicine: Injuries, Volume 1, 5e
Citation: Brukner P, Clarsen B, Cook J, Cools A, Crossley K, Hutchinson M, McCrory P, Bahr R, Khan K. Brukner & Khan’s Clinical Sports Medicine: Injuries, Volume 1, 5e; 2017 Available at: Accessed: October 31, 2017
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